My Bio and This Blog's Purpose

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

CAHSR will select DB to operate its lineTake #1 (Edited on 11/17/17): This becomes official tomorrow. CAHSR waited more than a month and made the announcement on 11/15/17.Take #2: What a difference several years make! In early 2009, Virgin was the first operator to toss its hat into the sweepstakes. JR East expressed interest later on in the year. After playing catchup due to the Europeans and Asians garnering all of the attention for the Express HSR routes in CA and FL, Amtrak made a halfhearted effort to join the fray in the spring of 2010.Take #3: Needless to say, Virgin eventually switched its West Coast route to Los Angeles-Las Vegas before disappearing from the U.S. radar completely, largely thanks to Rick Scott. Amtrak decided to solely focus its HSR aspirations on the NEC after the Tea Party Trio returned stimulus money to then-President Obama and the CA project became shaky. The Japanese operator may have been scared off by China Railway International.Christie says he is confident new Hudson River tunnels will be builtTake: It's a matter of just who will be paying for it. I heard of a proposal that could make it easy on everybody.Plans To Increase Amtrak Service Between Twin Cities, Chicago Move ForwardTake #1: Look at my previous takes on Google+ regarding the snail pace of what should already be in place.Take #2: Also, go to the Trains Magazine forum.Take #3: I agree with Andrew Selden about the states stifling themselves by not putting out their proposals out to private operators when the law has been in place for them to do so for nine years now. By continuing to solely rely on Amtrak, the costs go up, and long promised routes either get delayed or canceled.Take #4: CMStPnP 's followup comment to Mr. Selden is pretty telling about the inner workings of Amtrak management and is yet another reason why companies like Virgin, Bombardier, and the AIPRO members must be given a chance to provide the public with an alternative ASAP.Chattanooga-Atlanta bullet train could lure millions of air travelers to Chattanooga airportTake #1: This is a plan that I could rally behind because of the backstory. A decade ago, Atlanta leaders considered building a second airport to relieve overcrowding at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (aka the busiest airport in the world) but opted to go with the HSR line instead.Take #2: Obviously, it never stood a chance during the stimulus era but it kept on going.Take #3: If they're going to make this project come to fruition, maglev is not the answer, a Texas or California like project is.Take #4: Anything that gets the long-stalled downtown station back on track gets the okay from me.New station opens in Rochester, NYTake: It might be pricey, but at least passengers actually have a real station than the old Amshack.Port Huron, MI could be nextTake:The city not only needs a new station but more frequencies as well--and how about extending one or two of them to Toronto? Just saying.A possible San Joaquin reroute in SacramentoTake #1: It's doable but connections for Capitol Corridor, California Zephyr, and Coast Starlight passengers would have to be worked out.Take #2: Multiple stations in the capital city means fewer people driving from afar and the light rail connections would make it easier for everyone.Spanish airline getting into the rail businessTake: Amazing how things turn around in a matter of decades!Here’s What Amtrak’s Fancy New Trains Will Look LikeTake: So after that, the company is sticking to the Acela name.